Local and regional meteorological services need to modernise and step up their game, as private contractors may be taking the lead in weather prediction.
Director of the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service, Shakeer Baig, says this new dynamic comes as climate and weather professionals face challenges with ageing systems and reduced government funding.
“It’s happening here in my country. National Met Services are facing competitions from private sector organisations offering weather service, and they are actually providing it as a weather service provider. Believe it or not, they often communicate more effectively with the public than we do.”
He was speaking on Monday at the Leadership and Management Workshop for senior management of Caribbean National Meteorological and Hydrological Services.